Players racquets are more flexible to give more control and less power. The power has to be generated by the players arm. The flex allows for more dwell time (ball stays on the racquet longer) to give more control.

Why then does making the strings looser give more power and less control? Doesn't looser strings also mean more dwell time and therefore more control?

shindemac

08-26-2006, 05:12 AM

Well, I'm not sure people know this. Years ago I read, people thought the opposite. So go figure. Without science to back things up, you could make up any reasoning to support something.

But less dwell time is good because it allows the wobble from your racket to interfere less with the ball.

ramseszerg

08-26-2006, 06:08 AM

shindemac is right. Higher string tension means less dwell time, and rebound angle is affected less by the twisting of the racquet (more control). But you cannot scientifically measure control now can you.

Punisha

08-26-2006, 06:20 AM

The strings have a catapult effect which launches the ball back... (dunno how frame is different)

maverick1

08-26-2006, 06:26 AM

Players racquets are more flexible to give more control and less power. The power has to be generated by the players arm. The flex allows for more dwell time (ball stays on the racquet longer) to give more control.

Why then does making the strings looser give more power and less control? Doesn't looser strings also mean more dwell time and therefore more control?

My source: Physics & Technology of Tennis, by Brody et al

Yes, Flexible rackets and loose strings both increase dwell time.

shindemac is absolutely right about the confusion. 20 or 30 years ago, they did recommend tight strings for more power. That recommendation was based on the fact that many of the big hitter strung their rackets tight.

The current take is that loose strings are bad for control . The logic is as follows: When the ball strikes the racket off center, the racket rotates and sends the ball at an angle different from intended angle. Longer the dwell time, greater this distortion.
A second effect is that the amount of string deformation depends on the distance of impact from the center. This "asymmetry" is greater in a looser string bed. Obviously, a bigger variation in string deformation means bigger variation amount of power and less control.
The authors say this has been tested in the laboratory by firing ball at rackets with different tensions and measuring the rebound angle.

I couldn't find anything on the effect of stiffness on control. The first effect above would seem to suggest that higher stiffnes is better for control. So, this probably leaves you as confused as ever. I hope you at least got some intersting color, if not substance.

Swissv2

08-26-2006, 06:55 AM

maverick got it right.

- the faster the ball can get off the strings due to higher tension, the more control you have: the ball stays on the strings for a shorter time during a racquets trajectory.

If the ball stays on the strings longer, then it is subject to angle off a bit due to inherant twisting of the racquet due to the force of the hit. But you have more power with lower string tension because it acts like a catapult.

Remember the old "rock throwers"? they were flexible to get more distance and speed out of it. if you used a stiff wooden stick, it wouldn't have as much whip.